1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to solar water heaters, particularly to a portable solar water heater which may be used by sportsmen, outdoor enthusiasts, geologists, and the like.
2. Description of Prior Art
Solar water heaters have long been known to be an efficient method for utilizing solar radiant energy to heat a liquid such as water for subsequent storage and use. With the presently rapidly increasing cost of conventional source or energy, such as electricity, gas, or fossil fuels, the role of solar water heaters is constantly increasing. However, among a great variety of types of solar water heating systems, only few of them are portable. Frequently a need arises for a portable and versatile solar water heater which can be easily transported to a remote or temporary location, disaster area, recreation area or to a similar place where there are no usual conveniences, such as furniture, electricity, and hot water.
Known in the art is a portable solar water heater such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,104 to M. Greene, issued Nov. 28, 1978. This heater comprises a tank which has a triangular transverse cross section, the hypotenuse of the triangule being closed by a wall which allows solar energy to pass into the contents of the tank. While this portable solar water heater can be utilized for water heating purposes, that is its sole use since it does not provide any other function which can otherwise be useful when the device is not used as a heater. Furthermore, this heater is inconvenient for transportation and storage since it occupies a large space.